doug in co wrote:
ericmulk wrote:
vikingmd wrote:
Most mediocre high school cross country runners can run an 18 min 5k. Keep in mind that this on a cross-country course not a flat road course.Actually, my impression from watching our local XC teams train is that the "average" male HS XC runner prob runs around 22-23 min for 3 miles XC. Keep in mind that most HS XC teams do not cut anyone from the team, since there's plenty of space on the course for anyone who wants to run, so you've got some slow kids out there as well as the the 18 min and under kids.
from my attendance at HS XC meets I'd agree with Eric.. 'most' are running over 20min, not 18min. Certainly I didn't break 20min for 5k until after HS, although did get down to 15:50 eventually.
I don't know what OP means by 'engine size'. I used to to think that endurance sports were entirely trainable, but since then research has showed that just as some people have innate gifts for endurance sports, others have innate training responsiveness, and some people do not respond to training at all.
http://www.sportsscientists.com/...hours-and-the-genes/
" is success genetics or training? It’s both. In fact, it’s 100% genetic, and 100% training."
also
http://www.setantacollege.com/...e%20to%20regular.pdf
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19691366
Running 15:50 is smoking in my opinion.
Out of 5A schools in Colorado 489 males went under 19 minutes (18:XX). This is out of 1000 runners listed. That seems to be close to 50th percentile. In 2A 80/200 went under 19 minutes.
http://www.athletic.net/...ist.aspx?DivID=23672
In NY 2187 kids ran under 19 minutes.
http://www.athletic.net/...ist.aspx?DivID=24706
So what is the definition of mediocre?